Change of Plans
by The Last Kunoichi
Summary: Well, I deleted this story before, but I knew it was a mistake, so here it is again! A young girl wishes she could change the end of POTO... and she might get her wish. PLz R&R!
1. Meeting Erik

**I know I said the girl reads the book, but it's really based on the movie. Sorry if I confused anyone. Have a good read!**

XxXxXxXxXxX

"Time for bed," my mom callled. I sighed, put down my book, turned off my Billy Talent CD, and snuggled under my bed covers.

I had just finished reading 'The Phantom of the Opera' and I was not at all pleased that Christine had chosen Raoul over Erik.

"What does she see in him anyway?" I asked myself. "He's such a baby... even a bit girlyish." I sat up, and closed my eyes. "Why did Chrsitine fly from Erik's arms?" I sighed and lay my head back down on my pillow... wait a second... my pillow wasn't there. Instead, my head was lain on cold marble.

I opened my eyes. I wasn't in my own room anymore. I was lying in a grand entrance. There was a large staircase at my right, beautifully sculpted statues stood towering over me, and I saw a poster. It said 'Hannibal: Le 14, Decembre, a neuf heur'. I suddenyl knew where I was. I was in the Paris Opera House.

What was I doing here? A minute ago, I was in my own bed, in my own room, in my own country...

Wait a second, I thought. I know why I'm here! Not really how I came here, but _why _I'm here. This was my chance to make things work out between Christine and Erik.

I couldn't wait to help them, but one problem stood in my way... where was Erik? I knew I couldn't just ask him to come and show himself to me. He was just difficult like that. So, I decided to sing.

"A devil ina midnight mass

He preyed behind stained glass

A memory of Sunday class

Resurected from the past!..."

I thought Erik wasn't there at first, but then I heard an angelic voice sing:

"Wandering child, what do you sing of?

Sing of the devil?

And a church mass?"

I sighed. I hated it when people called me a child. But, I sang on.

"Hold your breath and count to four

Pinky swears don't work no more

Footsteps down the hallway floor, getting closer to my door,

I _was_ alive, but now I'm singing-"

Suddenly, Erik interupted me, with a slightly angered voice singing:

"Do not sing of such things girl!"

I probably offened him slightly, by the line "I _was_ alive" since I knew Erik didn't consider himself a living being. And yet, I still pushed my luck.

"Silent Night, for the rest of my life,

Violent knight, at the edge of your knife-"

That time, Erik had had enough of me. I saw him suddenly rush down the stairs at me. Yep, it was definatley Erik. He had black hair, greyish-blueish eyes, and of course, his white mask siting neatly on his face. I was happy to see him, but I saw him holding his famous Punjab lasso, so I quickly apologized.

"I'm so sorry Erik," I babbled. "But I need to talk to you-"

Erik sighed and turned away. He started up the stairs, but I ran after him.

"Wait!" I cried. "Your The Phantom of the Opera! You teach a young soprano called Christine, and you love her with all your-"

Erik turned back to me. "How do you know all of this?" he asked.

Oh boy. This was going to be tough. "Well... see... I'm from the future, Erik. The year 2006 to be precise. In a couple of decades, your story will become famous, and-"

"What story?" Erik asked.

"The story of you and Christine," I said.

"How do I know your really from the future?" Erik pressed on. "How do I know your not lying?"

"Erik, have you seen what I'm wearing?" I asked, gesturing to my pink pjama pants with horses on them, and my casual T-shirt with a brown horse on it. "And look," I showed him my digital watch. He seemed very interested in it, and it was enough to make hi believe I was from the future.

"Look," I said, "I have to tell you that-"

"Shh! Someone's coming!" Erik said. He pulled me into the shadows. I watched as M.Andre and M.Firmin walked to the front doors.

"Remember," Andre called to his companion. "The dress rehersal's at six tomorrow."

"Urgh. Idiots." Erik muttered.

"You hate them?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I hate everyone."

"Even me?"

"Yes."

"Even Chrisitne?"

"Don't be smart."

"You're not my father." Erik glared at me. "If you had even the chance of glancing at your father, girl, be thankful," he snapped.

After the managers left, Erik and I emerged from the shadows. He stopped me, and looked at me with pure sincerety in his eyes. "Will Christine_ ever_ love me?" he asked.

Now, it was very late, and when it's late I'm tired, and when I'm tired, I cry easily. The fact that Chrsiitne would never love Erik sent me into tears immediately.

I shook my head and started to sob. "Unless I change things, she'll practically hate you!"

Erik stared at my falling tears. "Pull yourself together, girl!" he said. "You said you know the story. Fix it."

"I'll try," I sniffed.

"Good," Erik said. "Listen, you find a free dormitory now, I'll come get you at six tomorrow."

"Okay, goodbye for now, Erik."

Erik nodded a goodbye, and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.


	2. The Rehersal

I had a hard time finding a free dormitory, but I eventually found one and fell asleep in it. But it only seemed moments before I was being shaken awake. "Five more minutes!" I muttered. I then received a slightly rough, but unharmful blow at my head. I sat up. Erik was standing over me. 

"Geez! What the heck was that for?!" I exclaimed.

"For being late," Erik snapped.

I glanced at my watch. 6:05 am.

"Oh, whopdedoo! I'm five minutes late, you didn't have to hit me!" I said, getting up.

"Don't fuss. Now, hurry, the dress rehersal's starting," Erik said.

"Already?" I asked. "It's six o' clock! The managers said six o' clock pm!"

"He ment in the morning," Erik said, impaitently. "Now let's go!"

"_Someone's_ gone impaitently mad with love," I muttered under my breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

Erik led me up stairs and through corridors. We eventully reached... I honestly didn't know... where were we?

"Where are we?" I asked.

"Above the stage," Erik replied.

"Where's Chrsitine?"

"Coming."

"When?"

"If you ask one more pointless question, girl, I swear to the good mother, Mary, I will wrap my Punjab lasso around your neck so tightly, the rope will break."

I shut my mouth right away. I knew Erik wouldn't lie about something like that.

Minutes passsed, as we watched the rehersal take place. It was for a play called 'Hannibal'. Carlotta was singing very sharply and slightly off key. I wasn't enjoying it. Neither was Erik.

"That woman sounds like a bunch of cats getting run over by a carrige," I heard him mutter.

"Got death on the mind, I see," I said. Erik gave me a look. "If you had lived my life, you'd understand that the happiest day of this life will be the day that I die."

"Erik," I said. "You must know now, that-"

"There's Christine!" Erik whispered, almost hysterically.

I looked down at the stage. Christine was dancing with the rest off the little dancing brats. Christine wasn't a brat herself, though.

I watched her dance a bit. I glanced at Erik. He was watching Chrsitine with pure love in his eyes. I was about to whistle, but I decided against it.

Suddenly, the rehersal stopped for a minute as Andre and Firmin introduced their new patron, Raoul de Changey.

"That's the guy that Chrsitine will love!" I whispered to him. Erik's loving eyes turned abrutply to a bitter and loathing glint in them. His hand started to slip near the pocket in which he kept his punjab lasso.

"No lasso, Erik," I said.

"This man, is about to take away my Christine, you can't expect me to just stand here!" He hissed at me.

"I know! But if Christine sees you kill him , she'll never love you!" I said. "She doesn't like to see anyone die. She certainly won't fall in love with a murder!"

"I love her!" Erik argued. "He's about to take away what I think is worth living for!"

"Erik, please!" I said. "I know how things'll turn out if you don't kill Raoul, and it will end with Christine in your arms! Please! You have to believe me!"

Erik thought about it for a moment. He pulled his hand away from his pocket.

"Thanks Erik, I knew you could do it," I said, trying to flatter him. He didn't show any sign of happiness from the compliment or any unhappiness.

"I'm still quite angry," he muttered.

Carlotta, at this point had decided to sing 'Think of Me'. Erik couldn't control his anger, and untied a rope holding a scenery on it. It fell right on top of Carlotta. I was laughing hard. Erik smiled and ran off. I followed him.

"Wait!" I said. "We have to go back! Christine will sing 'Think of me, don't you wanna hear her sing?"

"Come with me," Erik said. "We'll be able to hear her and see her from here."


	3. Box Five Please?

"Seriously, Erik, where are we going?" I asked. 

"Somewhere," Erik said.

"Can I please know where that somewhere is?" I pressed on.

"What did I tell you about pointless questions?" Erik snapped, opening a door.

I was silent, as I walked into the room. It was a dressing room. And the end of it was a big mirror. Erik walked over to it, and slid the glass back, revealing a hidden passage. "Ladies first."

I walked through it, amazed. Erik shut the glass and turned to me. "Now stay close," he said., "one false move here and it could be fatal. Not that I really care about you, but I'm sure your little parents would like you back in 2006 in one piece."

"Are we going to your house on the lake?" I asked. He nodded.

As much as I was happy about seeing where Erik really lived, the labyrinth he was leading me through wasn't fun. Not at all.

It wasn't like the movie where it was brightly lit and easy to walk through. This maze was dark, damp, slightly moldy, and it smelled like burnt rubber.

The pathways were steep and slippery too. Many time I tripped and fell. Once, as I was falling I grabbed onto the hem of Erik's cloak to break my fall. Erik shok me off and told me to not touch him.

"Erik, I'm not used to this underground maze, it's the first time I've been here, and I'm uneasy on my feet. Please, bear with me!" I said.

After a while we came to this dryer, yet steeper part of the maze. In our path stood an impressive black horse.

"It's Cesar!" I said, petting it. Erik nodded. "I've borrowed him for Christine, since after this gala night, I will reveal myself to her. Not as an angel of music, not as a phantom, but as Erik."

"Interseting," I said, climbing in vain onto the horse's back. Erik lifted me up, and hopped on himslef. I really wanted to make the horse run, but I knew Erik wouldn't let me. Besides, it wasn't safe.

After some time of riding, Erik stopped the horse and I jumped down. "Is it time for the boat?" I asked.

"See for yourself," Erik said, pointing ahead.

Sure enough, a gondala was floating in the lake just up ahead. Erik and I got in it, and rowed off.

As we neared Erik's home, we stoppped for one minute, and Erik kicked a lever that was sticking up from the water. I heard metal moving in the distance. He must off kicked the lever that opened his 'door'.

As Erik rowed us into the his house, I took notice to the surroundings. There were a lot of candles here, and my head hurt a little from being in the dark so long, and now being exposed to bright lights. There was Erik's beloved organ which had music sheets strewn about the floor around it, and a some door were off to the sides.

Erik jumped out of the boat and ran into one of the rooms. I followed him.

The room had a bed in the shape of a swan in here, and the curtain near the entrance was drawn back.

"Oh! I know what-"

"Sh," Erik said, looking through a little crack in the ceiling. I listened.

To my amazment, I could here Chrisitne singing. She was just finishing. when she was done, Erik sighed, and sat down on the bed. "God, I love her," he said.

"You know, Erik," I said, "Chr- OH NO!" I cried, suddenly realizing. "You always sit in box five, right?"

"Yes," Erik answered.

"Well, Raoul's gonna reserve it for himself tonight! The managers think your a joke, so they're gonna give it to him! If you take me back to the stage, I might be able to save your seat!"

"One problem," Erik said. "Your clothes are riduculous, and your hair is a mess. But I may have a dress you could fit into."

"Why on earth do you have a dress?" I asked. "You're not a girl."

"Well, since I've been here almost all my life, I have known how to get back at my enemies. When Carlotta was your age, one day, she was mocking Christine, saying how she had a horrible voice, and that she was a useless dancer. Poor Christine ran away in tears. I had no tolerence to see my angel cry, so as a trick, I wisked Carlotta's best dress away, and she went to the gala that night in a horrid, oversized dress."

"Whoa," I said. "So love at first sight is possible. But how come you didn't tell her that you loved her so? Why keep it bottled up until... uh... how old are you?"

"Never you mind," Erik said, annoyed. "But I was waiting for the right time to tell her I loved her, and it shall be tonight."

As Erik left the room, and I put on Carlotta's old dress, I was thinking about what I should do to save Erik's box. I had no idea at all.

But, it came to me as I was brushingmy hair with a comb Erik lent me. Ah, yes... The managers and Raoul would surely let me have the box now!"

I looked in the mirror. I wasn't a raidiant beauty, but I was presentable. I ran to Erik, who was at his organ, composing music, and told him I was ready.

He took me back to the bedroom and opened up a trap door on the ceiling. I heaved myself up out of the room, turned to Erik, and said: "I promise, I'll get your box," I said. Erik sighed and said: "You better. I don't want that boy they call a patron messing it up!" And with that, he shut the door.

I was behind the stage, and I saw Andre, Firmin, and Raoul talking, I ran over to them.

"Hi!" I said. "I'm Antoinette Devoir." Which was a lie of course.

"Uh... hello Antoinette. Um- how exactly did you get past the security?" Andre asked.

"Oh, the nice man let me pass," I lied. "Could I buy some tickets reserving box five tonight? My papa and I want to see the opera."

"You could have bought tickets at the front," Firmin said.

"But the man wasn't there," I said.

"I'm sorry, Antoinette, but the box is reserved for M. Raoul de Changey tonight."

I knew this would happen, so I decided to get them to give me the box by crying. I thought of the saddest thing I could, and as my eyes welled up with tears, I said: "But- but- I-I walked for three miles to come here, and my papa said this would be the only night of the year we would see and opera." I started to sob, and hang my head. I wonder if Erik's listening to this, I wondered.

"Uhh... umm... Don't cry, petite fille," Firmin said. "I can offer you and your papa free tickts to another night."

"We can't," I said. "Papa would have to work over time to pay for my sick baby sister's medicine!" With that, I burst into a fit of tears.

"Well..." Roaul said. "I guess I could sit with the managers to night, if they don't mind."

"Not at all," Andre said. "Here, Madameoiselle Devoir," he pulled out the tickets and handed them to me. "You don't have to pay."

"Oh thank you!" I cried. I hugged them and ran off. I knocked on the trap door. Erik opened it.

"Were you listening to that?" I asked.

"Every word," Erik smiled. "You lie like a rug."

I tossed him the tickets. "are you ready to see your Chrsitine preform a wonderful solo?"


	4. After the Opera

Erik and I waited around until it was time for the opera to begin. He shoved me through the trap door, and jumped up out of the room himslef. He took the tickets and tore them up. 

"What're you doing?!" I asked, "we need those!"

"No we don't," Erik said, walking off. "We can't be seen at the front or else people will figure out who I really am. Besides, we're already in the building, and Box five is calling out for us."

"You're right," I smiled.

As we climbed the stairs to the box, I had a thought. Raoul would go to see Chrsitine after the gala. We couldn't let that happen. I started thinking, but Erik interupted my thoughts.

"Now, there is only one seat," he said. "You'll have to sit on the floor."

"Yes, because the floor is VERY comfortable!" I said, sarcastically. Oh, quit your whining, I told myslef. The higher Erik sits, the more chance Chrisitne might see him.

As we watched the opera, I started to feel a little restless. The singing was beautiful, but I didn't understand a word of it! I was waiting until Act III rolled around to hear Chrisitne sining. After a while, her part came. She, of course, sang like an angel.

'Think of me, think of me fondly,  
when we've said good bye.  
Remeber me, once in a while,  
Please promise me you'll try..."

Once the she was finished, the crowd cheered loudly, Erik and I joined them. The show was pretty much over. But the story wasn't.

"Erik, I said. "We've got a bit of a problem. Remember I showed you Raoul earlier? Well, he's goning to go to Chrisitne's dressing room to see her! We can't let that happen!"

"What do you propose we do?" He asked.

"Well..." I said, thinking quickly. "You go and fetch Chrisitne once she's in her dressing room alone, and I'll keep Raoul occupied."

Erik and I split up. I ran behind the stage. There was huge crowd of people, and I could not find Raoul at first, but then I saw him feverishly making his way over to Christine's dressing room. I ran infront of him.

"Monseiur Raoul!" I cried. "How are you? Do you remeber me?"

"Uh.. yes," Raoul said. "You're Antoinette Devoir. Uh... How did you get behind the scences?"

"Well," I said. "I was looking about the stage when I noticed this door, and I'm a very curious girl, so I went in, and I found you!"

"Uh... great!" Raoul said. "Look, Antoinette, I think you should go back to your papa now. I must see someone very important."

Yeah right, I thought. You're just a big fruit cake who wants to hit on Christine!

"But wait!" I said. "What was your favourite part of the opera?"

"Well..." Raoul said, thinking. "Probably the end of Act III when Miss Daae was singing. But now, I really have to go. Farewell, Madameoiselle Devoir." He started to walk towards the door of Christine's dressing room.

"Wait!" I cried again, dashing in front of him, my back against the door.

"What!?" Raoul asked, annoyed now.

"Um... Have... you... seen Joseph Bouquet any where?" I asked. It was a crumby lie, I know. But it was just to stall him.

"How would you know who Joseph Bouquet is?" Raoul asked, suspicous.

Uh oh, I thought.

"He's... my... third cousin, four times removed..." I said. I suddenly heard sining on the other side of the door. Erik was telling Chrsitine to come to him. I was done stalling, finally. I sighed, and said: "Oh, there's my papa! Goodbye M. Vicomte de Changey!" I shook his hand, and with that, I ran off to the back to the stage.

I swung the trap door open and hoped into the bedroom. I could hear Chrsitine vocalizing in the distance, and I didn't want to wreck the two's moment, so I hid behind a curtained mirror.

Once Erik and Chrsitine finally made their way to the house on the lake. I peaked behind the curtain to see what was happening. Erik was singing to Christine. She was sitting in the boat still. Well, what're you waiting for, Erik? I thought. Help her out!

I sat down and waited for a few minutes. Erik was still singing. I peeked behind the curtain again. Erik had Christine in his arms. I smiled and resumed my hiding place. I heard Erik sing:

"Let the dream begin,  
Let you darker side give in to the power of the music that I write. The power of the Music of the Night!"

Uh-oh, I thought. He's gonna show her the wedding dress and she'll faint. But what was I supposed to do? I couldn't yell to Erik and tell him not to show her the wedding dress. And I couldn't stall them like I did for Raoul. Oh well, I thought. I looked out from behind the curtain. Erik had drawn back the curtain in which the dress was behind. Christine took one look at it and fainted. Erik caught her and carried her to the bedrom. He sung a little bit more, and came out of the room. I emerged from my hiding spot.

"You could have told me not to show her the dress before," Erik said, accusingly. "The she wouldn't have fainted!"

"Sorry, I forgot," I said. "But she'll wake up in a little while. Oh! And before I forget!" I added. "Once she wakes up, she'll want to take off your mask, so you can't let that happen."

"My mask?" Erik repeated, slightly hurt. "Why? And how?"

"Well, how, she'll kinda lure you into a trap," I explained. "She'll kind of caress your face for a bit, and when you least expect it, she'll tear your mask away from your face. And why? Well, walk a mile in her shoes for a minute. How would you feel if you were taken away to a secret underground lair, by a mysterious masked man, who, you figured out, was your Angel of Music, and suddenly tell's he loves you, and you don't even know his name or his real identidy?"

"Well, how do I steer clear of this?" Erik asked me.

"When she walks up to you, since you'll be playing at your organ, when you feel her hand sliding up to your mask, put your hand over her's and she'll stop... I'm sure."

"Fine," Erik said. I heard Christine get up. "Quick! Hide! She can't see you," Erik whispered. I ran behind the curtain, and Erik ran to the organ, pretending not to notice Christine. I saw Christine emerge from the bedroom. She sang about remembering the mist on the lake, the boat, and Erik. Then, she started to walk slowly to towards him.

"Who is that shape in the shadow? Whose is that face in mask?" With that, Christine caressed Erik's face. He seemed to be falling under her her spell.

"Don't be fooled by this siren, Erik!" I whispered urgently. Thankfully he heard me and remembered. As Chrsitine's hand slid up to his mask, he grabbed her hand, broke out of the spell Christine was casting over him, and turned to her. Her hand, I noticed, was still in his, making no attempt to free itself.

"Look, Christine," he said. "I knew what you were about to do. You can not see my face. The sight of it, I'm sure, you would not be able to bear."

"I just want to know who you are," Christine said, with a slight trace of guilt in her voice. "I didn't know you were so sensitive about your face..."

"I'm a very sensitive person, Christine," Erik said. "All I've known from people is hatred, and disgust. Some people didn't even know me, and they hate me. I just love you so much, I can't let you see my face. I don't want to loose you."

"Well... you say you love me," Christine said. "But I don't even know your name. All I know you by is: 'The Phantom of the Opera'."

"It's Erik," he sighed.

Christine sighed also. "I didn't mean to offend you. My natrual woman's curiousity over came me."

"I don't like curious women..." Erik said.

"You've probably met one too many," Christine said. "I'm really sorry."

"Well, I suppose you'd like to go back to the surface of the earth now..." Erik muttered, sadly.

"Yes," Christine addmited. "But I promise, I'll come to visit. You, Erik seem like quite an interesting man."

Erik looked at her and smiled. "Okay, well, follow me."

I crept along the shadows, following the couple through the labyrinth. _I'm_ the phantom this time, I thought. _I'm_ the one in the shadows, _I'm_ the one following a couple in love. Well... in love to be...

Once the two came to Christine's dressing room, they bade each other goodbye, and Erik promised her he'd continue to give her singing lessons, angel or not. Christine thanked him, and entered her room. Erik closed the glass, and ran down the path a little bit.

"Well done, Erik!" I said. Erik turned to me. "She said I was an interesting man. Not a monster or something else from the depths of hell, but a living man!" he said, happily.

"I'm happy for you," I said. "But could I please go back to the free dormitory? I'm extremely tired."

**Hope you liked that. Plz R&R now. Right below you. That little button. Yup...**


	5. Pure Love

I fell asleep almost at once, when Erik dropped me off at the dorm. But, instead of feeling like I closed my eyes for one minute, I slept on through the night. When Erik woke me I was ready to go. 

"Listen, I gave my managers, Carlotta, Mme Giry, and the viscount some notes," Erik said. "They haven't listened to me so far, so I'm giving them one chance more. I doubt they'll listen anway."

"You're right, they won't," I said sadly.

Erik sighed. "How am I going to prevent that absoulute toad from taking Christine's role?" he asked me.

"Toad..." I said, suddenly remembering. "That's it! You know how Carlotta has that throat spray? Well, you'll switch it with another spray you made, and she loses her voice!"

"Really?" Erik asked, suprise. "How would you know that?"

"I keep telling you!" I said, annoyed. "I'm from 2006!" I stopped for a minute. "Uh... what time is it?" I asked, switching topics.

"It's ten o' clock in the morning!" Erik said. "I let you sleep in because nothing's really going on today excpet for the opera tonight."

"Are there dress rehersals going?"

"Yes."

"Well, let's go watch it."

-

Erik and I watched without being noticed from box five. Carlotta seemed unusually cheerful. Probably because she got the lead role. I sighed. She's a spoiled three year old trapped in a twenty year old, I thought.

I tried my best to pay attention to the rehersal but I just couldn't! I fidgeted a little bit and at one point I was twirling my hair for no reason. Erik had to tell me to act my age not my shoe size many times.

I looked at my watch. Four thirty. This was a pretty long opera! I was bored out of my skull. But I sat quietly. It was kind of embarassing getting told off by Erik once or twice, I didn't need it another time.

When the rehersal was finally over. Erik and I got up and went to his house on the lake.

"We have some time before the opera, since it at eight tonight," Erik said. "I'll be playing music, you..." he thought for a minute. "You do whatever just don't bother me, and don't touch anything!"

"Okay," I said. "But when should we get ready for the opera?"

"I'll tell you when," Erik said. I could feel a vibe from him. A vibe that said shut up and let me compose my music, so I went by the lake, rolled up my pant legs of my pjama pants and waded in the water. I had always loved the water. It was warm and wet, and I splased aroud a little bit.

After a while, it was time to get ready for the opera. Erik took me back to the free dormitory.

"Wait for me here. I'll come and get you in approximately five minutes," he said. He left through another trap door, leaving my alone.

I slipped into Carlotta's old dress and tied my hair back. I sat on the bed and waited. I was very bored. The minutes seemed to drag on like hours. I decided to sing, seeing as though I was alone.

"I once heard of an angel. I still to dream he'd appear.  
Know as I sing, I can sense him.  
And I hope he's not here!-" I didn't really want Erik hearing me sing. I didn't have the best voice in the world, even though my friends back in 2006 said I was good. I would just embarass myself infront a great music teacher again.  
"-Here in this room, he'll call me softly, somewhere inside, hiding.  
Some how I know he's always with me. He the unseen genius!"

"You really think I'm a genius?" Erik said, suddenly standing in the middle of the room, startling me.

"Whoa! You were listening?" I asked, in disbelief. "But you just left!"

"How do you supose I've earned the title 'Phantom?'" he asked. "But why did you say you hoped I wasn't here?"

"Well, I don't have the best voice in the world," I said. "Not like Christine, and I try to hit notes I can't, so..."

"I thought you had an average voice," Erik said, dryly. I smirked. He wasn't trying to make it sound like a compliment, but it was. Suddenly, I remembered something.

"Oh no!" I cried. "I didn't get your box five! Raoul's got it! I'm so sorry Erik!"

"You could have reminded me, but you were too busy splashing around in that lake!" Erik glowered at me.

"I'm sorry! But even if I remembered, I wouldn't be able to pull of the crying scheme again! They wouldn't fall for it!"

"Fine..." Erik muttered. "We'll just watch from above the stage."

-

The opera started off as it did in the movie. Carlotta was the countess, Christine was the page boy, Piangi was the count, blah, blah, blah. Erik ran off at the beginning, switching Carlotta's throat spray with his own special mixture, which he had made while I was in the water. When he returned I asked: "What exactly DID you put in there anyway?" I asked. Erik smiled and said: "One of my many secrets. Now listen to my work."

I listened. I didn't hear anything during the first act. But during the second act, I heard, as soon as it was Carlotta's turn to sing, she uttered a loud croak like a toad. Erik and I were killing ourselves laughing. Erik then rang out in a great voice: "BEHOLD! SHE'S SINING TO BRING DOWN THE CHANDELIER!" I turned my head, and he was shaking the rope that held the chandelier.

"Don't let it fall, Erik!" I said. "Please?"

"I wasn't going to make it fall," he said. "It was merely just to prove how awful Carlotta's singing is." Erik was about to say something else, but he stopped and looked up. I looked too.

Joseph Bouquet was standing above us watching the play. Erik suddenly got that hateful look in his eyes. "I'll be right back," He informed me. As he was leaving, it finally clicked about what he was going to do.

"No!" I hissed, running after him. "Erik, you are not going to kill Joseph Bouquet!"

"He's told stories about me that aren't even true! You don't know what it's like to be made fun of all your life!" Erik snarled back at me. "You are but a girl, you can't tell me what to do! I'm a grown man!" With that he ran from at Bouquet, who was stading on the rafters above the stage now, from behind.

"Erik, please!" I cried tearfully. Bouquet turned to see who had pleaded this Erik person to not do something, and was met by an unpleasent suprise.

I watched in horror, tears streaming down my cheeks as Erik strangled the scene shifter. Once Bouquet had lost all his air, Erik threw him down onto the stage. I heard the terrified shriek of people and the ballet girls.

"Erik, what have you done!?" I cried hysterically.

"Look," Erik began, but I cut him off.

"I don't know why I agreed to help you in the first place!" I yelled. "You're a murderer!" Tears were know streaming like waterfalls from my eyes know, and Erik looked like a blur of white and black.

"The roof top!" I said, suddenly. "Christine's going to run to the roof top with the Vicomte! You meet her there, I'll stall Raoul again," I didn't know why I told him this when I was hating him right know. "... Not that you deserve her now!" I added. Erik seemed really hurt. With a swish of his cloak, he was gone. I ran off to Box five. Raoul was just getting up from his seat.

"Madameoiselle Devoir!" He cried, suprised, "what are you doing here?"

"I can't find my papa!" I cried. "We were waiting outside the opera house to see Joseph outside, but know he's dead, and I went into to see what was happening, and know I can't find my papa!"

Raoul sighed. "Come with me, we'll look," he said. I ran off with Raol we looked on the stage, behind the stage, in the boxes.

"Where is he!?" I cried, already tearfully. "Maybe the opera ghost got him too!" I started to cry all voer again. Raoul tried to calm me. I looked up. "Dear God! Where is he?" As I looked up, I saw Chrisitne. She was almost at the top of the roof. I was done.

"Look!" I cried pointing. "There's a pigeon!" Raoul turned to look, and my long fast legs carried me away. I ran up the stairs, following Chrsitne. When we reached the roof top, Christine ran to the edge, breathing heavily. Erik was hiding behind Apollo's Lyre. I ran to him. When he saw me, he frowned and emerged from is hiding place.

"Christine," he said. Christine turned to look at him.

"You murdered an innocent man!" She yelled. "I thought you were my Angel of Music! But know I see that you are just a man that's too bitter to except that some people are not the nicest, and that there are other ways to solve a conflict, than killing people!"

Erik looked at her. Tears welled up in his eyes. He tried to take her hand, Christine pulled away. "I don't know if I would like to know you any more," she said.

"Please, Christine," Erik said, his voice shaking with emotion. "You are right. I am just a man... But I'm a very hurt man... If you had lived my life, you would understand. Nobody ever showed me anything but bitter hate and disgust. Nobody ever cared to teach me right from wrong... Just because I don't have a handsome face everyone thinks I would do wrong. It's not like that Christine..."

At this point I was lying at the top of the statue listening. Erik's tears were falling freely, so were Chrisitne's and mine. Erik went on.

"You're the only woman whose ever cared for me, ever let me teach her, ever let me even touch her. This has not been a happy life, Christine. You're the only person whom I've ever... loved."

Erik's voice craked on the last word. There was a soft splating sound as my tears fell onto the statue. Erik leaned on the side of the roof and sobbed a little bit. Christine was trying to stop herself from crying, but I knew she was failing.

"Erik," she asked, timidly. "Is this true? You've never felt love from anyone or loved anyone else but me?"

Erik nodded. "I'm a poor dog ready to die for you," he said.

Christine seemed really touched by his words. Suddenly, she made him face her, and she sang.

"Pitiful creature of darkness,  
What kind of life have you known?  
God give me courage to show you,  
you are not alone!"

After those last notes, she kissed him, long and full on the lips. Erik seemed taken aback. I was too. I'm sure he wasn't expecting this. I watched with delight as the couple kissed. Christine didn't seem to mind she was kissing a very disfigured man. Infact, I saw pure love from both of them in that kiss.

Once they finally broke apart, both of their eys were shining with tears of happiness, joy, and love.

"Erik," Christine whispered. "I love you."

They kissed again, but not as long. Erik smiled. He sang too.

"Say you'll share with me one love, one lifetime.  
Lead me safely from my solitude.  
Say you'll want me with you, here, beside-"

Erik didn't have time to finish, for Raoul de Changey burst onto the roof, and stopped, stunned to see Christien Daae in the arms of another man.


	6. Raoul Discovers a Secret

Raoul stopped and stared. I crouched lower. That idiot! I thought. Why did he have to burst in now? 

"Christine Daae?" Raoul asked, stunned.

"Well, well, well," Christine said, annoyed. "Look's whose finally come to say hello!"

"Who... is... this... man?..." Raoul asked.

"You needn't know," Erik said, wrapping his cloak around himslef and Christine, they disappeared.

I wonder who he does that, I thought. Raoul was just standing, shocked. I wanted to go back to Erik's house, but I couldn't. Raoul was just stupidly standing there. So I decided to play with his mind for a bit.

"He loves her," I whispered.

"Whose there?" Raoul cried, looking around. I ignored the comment.

"And she loves him. You'll never win her heart."

"Who speaks of such things?!" Raoul asked again.

"No matter how hard you try," I said, taking off my digital watch. "Her heart will always belongs to the Phantom of the Opera." With that, I threw my watch. Raoul looked at it lying on the floor, while I snuck down from Apollo's Lyre, and ran back down the stairs and behind the stage.

Raoul looked at the watch for a minute. Never had he seen anything so odd before. It was black with pink stripes on it, it was made out of this plasticy material, and it read the time on it in such an unothodox fashion, he dropped it.

Suddenly, There was a noise behind him. There was that annoying little Devoir brat with the irresponsible father, climbing down from Apollo's Lyre, and hurrying into the Opera house. There was something strange about that girl, so Raoul decided to fallow her.

I practically skipped to the trap door. I rapped on it, and Erik opened it so fast, I almost hit my nose. "What?" he whispered.

"Can I please come back in, Erik?" I asked.

"Go back to your dormitory," Erik said. "Christine and I are having a singing lesson."

"Why now?"

Erik sighed. "You're a very nosey girl," he said.

"I know, but-"

"Look," Erik said, urgently. "Christine's waiting for me, I can't be long. So go to the dormitory and go to sleep!"

"It's only eight thirty!" I argued.

"You girls from 2006 are so argumental!" With that, Erik slammed the trap door. I huffed.

"Guys from 1870 are so impatient!" I said, as I walked to my dormitory.

Had Raoul heard that Erik person correct? Was that girl from 2006? That was approximately 140 years from now! Raoul looked at the watch thing. But maybe that Erik wasn't lying.

Who was that man who had Christine in his arms anyway? What Raoul saw was this:

There was a man dressed all in black evening wear, with a peculiar white mask on the left side of his face, with beautiful Christine in his arms. It looked as if they had just kissed. Raoul loved Christine, but he never had the chance to because of that stupid Antoinette girl. She kept bugging him at those times and those times only.

"There's something unusual with that girl," he said. "And I am going to follow her, Erik, and Christine until I get an answer!" Raoul exited the Opera house, and went home.


	7. The Masquerade

Strangely enough, I was up before Erik came to get me. I didn't know what time it was, for I had thrown my watch at Raoul last night, but the sky said it was early dawn. I got up, got dressed, and went behind the stage. I didn't know if Erik was awake or not, so I silently opened the trap door, and slipped in. 

Erik wasn't asleep, he was playing at his organ.

"Good morning, Erik," I said.

Erik jumped when he heard me. "Oh yes!" He said. "I was so wrapped up in my music I forgot about you."

"Well thanks," I said sarcastically. I changed the subject. "How was the singing lesson last night?"

"Great," Erik said, scribbling down some music notes. "Chrsitine sang like an angel as always. And when I returned her to her room, she gave me another kiss, and I promised to pick her up for the New Year's Eve ball tonight."

"The masquerade is tonight!?" I asked. "Already? What am I going to do? I haven't anything to wear but Carlotta's old dress!"

"It's a ball for adults only," Erik said.

"I have to keep an eye on that rat, Raoul, won't I?" I said. "I won't bother you and Christine."

"Fine," Erik said. "Once there's no one in one of the unlocked dressing room, go in and take one of the costumes and a mask... they're scattered every where," Erik added, angrily.

"You know it's not really your fault you were born like that," I said. "Just because you're deformed doesn't mean your not a nice person."

"Well, misunderstandings have turned me into NOT a nice person," Erik said, frowning.

"Well, you've shown Chrisitne a side of you that's nice," I said. "And I'm not a material girl. I could be friends with the ugliest kid in my class as long as he or she is nice."

"Well..." Erik hesitated. "You're a... very kind person..."

"Aw, thank you, Erik!" I said.

"Go back to the surface of the earth now," Erik told me. "Get dressed, and I'll find you an unlocked dressing room, wait for me in your dorm."

I ran back intot he bedroom, went through the trap door, and ran into my room. I got dressed, and tied my hair back. I sat on the bed. Erik would have some time before he came to get me, so I decided to sing again, but I sang quieter, and for less of a time.

"In a crooked little town,  
They were lost and never found, Fallen leaves, fallen leaves, fallen leaves, on the ground.  
Run away before you drown, or the streets will beat you down,  
Fallen leaves, fallen leaves, fallen leaves on the ground..."

"You sing of such odd things," Erik said, suddenly. I gasped and spun around.

"Why do you always come in on me while I'm singing!?" I asked.

"Why do you always make a big deal out of it?" Erik shot back. "Come, I'll lead you to the room I found.

Erik led me up some flights of stair, until we came to this dressing room labeled 114. I opened the door and stepped in. The room was small, and cramped, but there was a wardrobe in the corner. It was full of costumes that were just a tad to big for me, but it would do. I chose a long flowing green dress that reached the ground. But their were no masks about.

"We'll figure something out," Erik said.

We went back to Erik's house taking the long route through the laybrinth. I managed to only trip twice.

"Now," Erik said, "I'll be in the bedroom doing something, you stay here, and... do whatever, but do not touch my score!"

"Is that your Don Juan Triumphant?" I asked.

"Yes," Erik sighed. "I've been working on it for a long time, and tonight, I will give it to Andre and Firmin, and they will put on the show, whether they like it or not."

"They'll think it's crazy," I said.

"As if I have not gone insane already," Erik said, ruthfully, walking into the bedroom.

I sighed. I looked around at the organ. Erik had said not to touch his opera, but he never said to not touch teh organ. I sat on the hard piano stool and played a few notes. After a couple of hours, Erik finally came out of the room, holding his hand behind his back.

"What took you?" I asked.

Erik said nothing. He smiled and handed me something.

It was a mask. It was almost identical to his, but it fit my face perfectly. I was lost for words. Erik had been never so kind to me. I ran to him and hugged him.

"Ok, that's enough," Erik said, pushing me off. "Now, is there anything I need to know before we got to the masked ball?"

"Well," I said, thinking. "Unless you don't give the managers your Don Juan play, you won't have to leave so early."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, in the book and movie you were alone, so that was a little less dificulty to deal with. You make a dramatic entrance and ask everyone why they're so silent. Then you throw the score at the managers, and you give a few instructions to the people. You say Carlotta needs acting lessons, Piangi needs to lose weight, the managers belong in an office, and you would say Chrisitne needs to return to you to get to be a better singer. But I suggest you just go to the ball as a mysterious masked man, with Christine Daae."

"I'll corner those dimwitted idiots at the end of the party," Erik decided.

"Don't go to extreme though," I said.

----

Hours later, it was time for the ball. Erik left me near the grand staircase. I was a bit worried because there was no other adult I knew around here, and I couldn't find Andre, Firmin, or Raoul, but I stood off to the side and waited for Erik and Chrisitne. No one was singing the 'Masquerade' song like in the movie. I didn't expect anyone to. So I decided to sing it quietly to my self.

"Masquerade, paper faces on parade,  
Masquerade. Hide your face so the world will never find you..."

I stopped. It was a little sad, for if I wasn't careful, that would be Erik's fate. I was looking around. I had been waiting for some minutes now, and I couldn't find them. I ran about the ball, asking people If they had seen a man in a crimson suit, probably with someone from the opera. No one had, but they all asked me why I was in here. I told them I was just waiting for my parents.

As I was running, I bumped into Raoul. I looked up. He wasn't wearing a mask. Idiot, I thought. It's a masked ball!

"Madameoiselle Devoir?" he asked.

"Y-yes," I said.

"Come with me for minute."

Uh-oh, I thought. What does he want with me? I'm just innocent little Antoinette.

Raoul and I came away from the crowd and the noise. "Now," he said. "I've seen you around here a lot, Antoinette, I thought you said you wouldn't be around much this year."

"I- My- p-papa got the money for my baby brother's medicene earlier, so I was a-able to come back," I lied. Darn! I thought. It was baby sister!

"I thought you said you had a baby sister," Raoul said.

"Oops," I giggled. "Silly me."

"Antoinette," Raoul pressed on. "Do you know anything about the opera ghost?"

Oh my God! I thought. He knows I'm helping Erik!

"Of course," I said. "I think it's just a legend, though."

"Oh really?" Raoul said. "Then who was it I saw climbing down from the statue that night up in the roof?" He held up my digital watch.

"ERIK!!!!!!" I yelled, running away from Raoul, and pushing through people. I didn't know where he was. Suddenly, I slammed into him, almost knocking him over. Chrisitne wasn't there.

"What is wrong with you!?" He hissed at me. "Don't you know how to walk? You almost knocked me over!"

"Raoul! Raoul knows! He found out that I'm helping you!"

"What!?" Erik cried.

"He saw me on Apollo's Lyre, he must of seen me talking to you... oh my god... we are in such a mess!"

Erik said nothing. He sighed. "Go back to my house," he instructed me. "Wait for me there. You can go to sleep if you like, for you look vey pale, but just stay there!"

I nodded, and ran into the auditorium, behind the stage, and flew through the trap door. I landed on Erik's bed and I immdetely fell asleep.


	8. The Graveyard

I woke up in the same position I fel asleep in. Erik was no where to be seen. I got up off the bed and went to look for him. He wasn't playing at his organ. I noticed his _Don Juan Triuphant_ was gone. I looked in one of the rooms I haven't seen yet. 

The walls were hung with black. There were a lot of music sheet about. But in the middle of the room, there was what looked like a four poster bed. I drew back the curtain. What I did see was not a bed, it was an open coffin, and Erik was in it!

"OH MY GOD!" I cried. "ERIK IS DEAD!"

Erik suddenly sat bolt up right. He looked around the room, when he saw me, he yelled: "What are you doing in my room!?"

"I was looking for you!" I exclaimed. "I thought you were dead!"

Erik gave an exasperated sigh. "No... This is where I sleep..."

"I thought you slept in the bedroom where the trap door was," I said.

"No, that's Christine's bed," Erik explained. "Once she and I are married, I'll get rid of this coffin, but for now, I sleep here."

"This can't be good for your back," I said.

"The heck with my back," Erik said, getting up.

"Did Raoul find you or Christine?" I asked.

"No, thankfully," Erik said. "However, next time you want to tell me my enemy has found out about me, don't not try to knock me over again!"

"Well sorry, I siad. "I just kind of panicked and I ran off trying to find you or Chrisitne." I stopped for a minute. "Where was Chrstine anyway?"

"She was just at the bathroom," Erik said. "Anyway, what should I know about today?"

"Well..." I said thinking, "oh, Christine'll go to the cemetary to visit her father... Raoul's gonna follow her there, so you might want to go to."

"Fine." Erik said. "That boy is really starting to annoy me."

"I thik we should watch ourselves a little bit more, now that he knows I'm helping you," I said.

I left Erik, got dressed and walked about the shores of the lake until he came out. The lake kind of reminded me of the river Styx. A mythical river in Greek mythology from the Underworld.

Erik came out and sat down at his organ, but he didn't play anything. He sighed and turned to me. "Christine's singing lesson isn't until four today," he said. "Would you like to learn a bit about singing?"

I gasped. Be taught by Erik? A great music teacher? My own muse? I nodded and ran up to the organ, and sat down in a chair next to it. But Erik shook his head.

"No, no, no. Up. You sing better if your standing," he said. I blushed and stood up.

"Now," Erik said. "Do you know anything from the opera?"

Again, I blushed and shook my head. "The only song I know well enough to sing from an opera is out of your _'Don Juan Triuphant'_"

Erik shook his head too. "I can't play that for you. My music, burns, and yet-"

"-It's not struck by fire from Heaven," I finished for him.

"How did you-?" Erik began.

"I read the book and seen the movie," I reminded him.

"Right..." Erik thought for a moment. He sighed again and turned to me. "I can play you one song. But that's it. Got it?"

I nodded. "Is it 'Past the Point of No Return'?" I asked. Erik nodded and started to play. Since it was early morning, and I hadn't had a drink of water my voice was slighty hoarse, so I sang slightly off key. Erik stopped playing and ordered me to go get a drink. I ran to the lake sipped a bit from my hand, and ran back to the organ. Erik started to play again. And I sang:

"Past the Point of No Return... No Backwards glances...

Our games of make believe are at an end..."

Erik stopped me again. "That was much better but your exagerating your voice too much, so sing it simply."

I nodded and tried again. I saw a very small smile creep up on Erik's face as I sang. After I was done Erik let his smile show completely and said: "Well done. I'm quite suprised you sang that well."

I shrugged casually. "I just need a bit of encouragement sometimes," I said.

"Now, listen," Erik aid, getting up. "I have to go spy on everyone involved in my opera, so you stay here and don't do anything insane."

"Got it," I said. As Erik left I wandered into the bedroom, and sat down on the swan bed. I looked up and saw that monkey music box thing that freaks me out everytime I watch the movie. I silently took it down, wound the key and listened to it play the 'Masquerade' Song. It was so light and soft I felt very sleepy. I lay down on the bed and closed my eyes... just for a minute...

--

I felt myself being shaken awake. I woke up Erik was standing next to me.

"What time is it?" I mumbled, sitting up.

"Eight at night," Erik said. "When I came back here you were sound asleep. I could have played my organ it's loudest and you wouldn't have woken up."

"Geez..." I said, getting up. I shot the music box that was laying on the floor a look. "Why do you have that thing, Erik?" I asked.

"That?" Erik asked, gestering to the music box. "I made it for Chrisitne. It plays wonderful music, and it reminds me so much of her."

"I'm sorry, but it freaks the heck out of me!" I said.

Erik rolled his eyes and shook his head. "So what time is Christine planning to go to the cemetary?" he asked me.

"Well... I really don't know," I said. "Sometime late at night... or near early morning... maybe we should go watch her?"

Erik nodded, opened the trap door, helped me through, and we ran off to Chrisitne's dressing room.

We opened her door as silently as we could she didn't seem asleep, so Erik shoved me into the shadows and crept along the wall like a shadow. Chrisitne turned and looked at the wall.

"Strange..." she said to herself. "I could have sworn I saw a shadow there."

Erik told me in sign language to stay where I was. I nodded and watched Chrisitne turn over and close her eyes. Erik, now silently sliding through the mirror, beconed me to follow him. I tiptoed past Chrisitine's bed and quietly ran through the glass. Erik shut it and watched Chrsitine try to sleep. We didn't exchange another word.

After what seemed like hours, I saw Chrisitne finally get up, pull on her cloak, and head out the door. Erik and I followed her from the shadows.

We pasts Raoul. But he wasn\t asleep on a chair infront of Christine's room... he was...on the steps of the opera house?

"What on earth is he doing there?" I asked.

Erik shrugged and pulled me along, still following Christine. As she came to that little station place thingy where they kept the horses and carriges, Chrisitne gave a man some money, and ran back inside to fetch a rose for her father.

"Erik, you're going to have to knock that guy out with a rock," I whispered.

"Why?"

"How else are we going to follow her? I asked. "We can't go on horseback. You're going to have to drive."

"What about you?"

"I can duck down infront of the carrige where you're sitting," I said.

"Fine," Erik said, picking up a rock, and with carefull aim, he hit the man at the back of his head. We came out of our shadows and I looked at the guy.

"Erik?" I asked. "Is he gonna be okay?"

"He'll be fine," Erik said, tacking up the horse, standing half hitched to a carrige.

I looked back at the entrance from the opera house. Christine was coming.

"She's back, I said, jumping in the front of the carrige and curling up into a little ball.

Erik pulled the hood of his cloak and jumped into the carrige wiuth me. I giggled slightly. "You look like a gangst-ah!" I whispered.

Erik gave me a look which shut me up right away, and looked back to make sure Chrisitne was in the carrige and ready to go.

As we pulled out of the 'drive way' I looked up at the opera house's top window. I saw a girlish face with long hair looking backa t us. "Raoul..." I whispered.

Erik must've heard me because he urged the horse to go faster.

As the horse galloped along the snowy path I was very cold. Even though it was... what?... six degrees out side, the rush of the wind created by the running horse whipped at my face and blew my hair back, making it a disaster as usual.

Once Erik, Chrisitne, and I had gotten to the graveyard, Erik let Chrisitne off, and he parked the carrige further down the road.

He jumped off without hesitation, and tired to help a frozen me out.

"Come on!" Erik said, "Hurry!"

"Take your time, she passes the same statues four time before she finally reaches the only building in the cemetary!" I said. "S-sorry, I'm just so cold!"

Erik thought for a minute, and took off his cloak and handed it to me. I smiled, thanked him, and put it on. I felt very elegant and classy.

I followed a hurrying Erik to Gustave Daae's grave.

Erik climbed onto the crypt without difficult, but I had to scramble up it, falling on my behind many times. Erik couldn't help me, because he had to keep watch for Chrisitne. But, once I finally got up, I heard singing in the distance.

"Well... Look who came to visit," I mumbled.

"Sh!" Erik said, trying to listen to Christine's singing.

I watched Christine as she sunk to the ground infront of her father's grave. After a while she stopped singing. Erik started to sing.

"Wandering Child, So lost, so helpless,

Yearning for my guidence."

I was half expecting Christine to wonder if it was Erik or her father. But, she sang:

"Erik, O Erik

Why are you here now?

I wanted to make this visit private..."

Erik sighed.

"Have you forgotten your Angel of Music?"

Chrisitne's eyes became wide and she stood up quickly.

"Erik, of course, you are my angel,

but why...?"

Erik interupted her softly

"Too long you've wandered in Winter.

Far from my far-reaching gaze."

Christne was perplexed.

"Wildly my mind beats against you..."

Erik frowned.

"You resists, yet--"

Christine then sang with him.

"Yet my heart obeyes!"

Heart? I thought. I thought it was soul... The two lovers' singing interupted my thoughts of script errors.

"Angel of music! I/you denied you/me

Turning from true beauty!

Angel of Music do not leave me/my lover

Come to your/me, my angel!"

I sighed. Whats with all these words changed!? I thought. Erik's lovely voice, once again, snapped me back to reality. Again, he was singing his little 'Come to your Angel' thing. I was smiling. Chrisitne was coming closer, and closer. She was almost up the stairs, but then I saw a light grey horse galloping towards us with a person on it's back. It was Raoul.


	9. The Fight and The Truth

I gasped as Raoul rode into view. That idiot! I thought. Why now!? 

Erik saw Raoul coming too. He immdeatley stopped singing.

"Chrisitne, wait!" Raoul yelled. Christine turned. "Raoul?" she said, confused.

"Whatever you believe, this man, this thing, it's not your-"

Before Erik had a chance to jump down from the roof, I did, and ran up to him. My cheeks were red with rage.

"Leave her alone!" I yelled, "She doesn't like you! She loves Erik, why can't you just except that!?" Raoul squinted his eyes at me.

"Why are you always around when things like this happen!?" he yelled, equally as loud at me. "I know your helping him! I know you're an ally to him!"

"What are you talking about!?" I lied. Raoul rolled his eyes, and took out his sword.

"Move out of my way," he said, dangerously calm, "or I will take you down first!"

I gasped as Raoul turned the tip of the sword slowly towards me. I let out an ear piercing scream. Suddenly, I saw a tall black figure push me out out of harm's way. It was Erik.

Erik drew his sword too and started fighting with Raoul. I can behind Christine and watched as the two men fought... well... in my opinion, Raoul was still a jealous school boy. But anyway...

Chrsitine looked at me. "Who are you?" she asked politley.

"I'm Antoinette Devoir," I said, gasping as Erik nearly tripped.

"How does Raoul know you?" Christine pressed on.

"Long story, Madame," I said. "Uh... don't look now but-OH MY GOD! ERIK!"

Raoul had knocked Erik down, kicked his sword away and was about to plunge his sword into his chest.

I ran at him, and with all my strength, I knocked Raoul over, grabbed his sword, and pointed it at his throat.

"As I said, Monsieur de Changey," I said. "Leave them alone..."

Raoul's face got very red. "The police will hear about this," he said. He got up and ran off.

"Erik," I said, "we've got to go. Raoul-"

I stopped talking because I saw Christine putting pressure on one of Erik's wounds. I gasped and fled towards them.

"Erik, are you okay?" I asked, my voice not sounding like my own.

"I-I'm fine..." Erik mumbled.

Chrisitne looked at me. "So, how do you know Erik?" she asked. "Nobody knows him as Erik only... only by The Phantom of the Opera."

I sighed and turned to Erik. "Should I tell her the truth?" Erik nodded.

I started by telling her my real name, where I came from, and how I helped Erik to win her.

"Don't you see?" I asked. "If I hadn't come along you two would not be together."

Chrisitne turned to Erik. "You expect me to believe this?" she asked him.

"No," he said, honestly, "I didn't either when I found her singing and sitting at the bottom of the Grand Hall's staircase, but," he said, looking over at the spot where Raoul lay before. I looked too.

There, in the snow, was my digital watch. I ran, picked it up, and read the time. Six thirty one. I ran back and showed Chrisitne. She stared opened mouthed at it.

"Convinced?" I asked.

She smiled and nodded.

"Now, Raoul's gone to get the police. Don't ask me why though... all I did was knock him down... Anyway, I suggest you get on that horse and ride back to the opera house.

"We can't fit two people on Snowflake," Christine said.

"Ah! So Snowflake's it's name!" I smiled. "I'll walk back."

"No your not," Erik said. "I'll hitch the other horse up to the carrige, you and Christine can go in it, I'll drive."

Without a moments hesitation, Chrisitne and I got into the carrige, Erik hitched Snowflake up to it, and we rode on home.


	10. A Talk with Chrisitine

I hoped out of the carrige, and took Erik aside. "Why did you save me?" I asked. 

"What do you mean why did I save you?" Erik said.

"When I first met you, you said you hated me. Why such the act of faith?"

Erik sighed. "I couldn't let that idiot hurt you. You've become almost like a daughter to me."

"Really!?" I squeaked.

"It's not right to hurt a child," Erik told me. "Anyway, you go inside and go to sleep. You look dead on your feet."

I nodded, and ran off. I slipped into the opera house, ran quickly but as quietly as a ghost down the hallways into my dorm, flopped onto my bed, and fell asleep without even bothering to change.

--

It was late in the morning when I got up. As I fixed my hair I remembered to stay clear of Raoul. I ran down the hall, careful not to be seen by anyone, and made my way to the trap door behind the stage. I knocked on it.

Erik opened it. "There you are," he said. "Come in, I've got some important news to tell you."

I climbed down into the bedroom, Erik lead me into his room, took a little box and opened it. In there was a ring.

"Uh... look... Erik," I said. "We've got a _HUGE _age diffrence, and-"

"Not you, you idiot!" Erik said, annoyed. "It's for Christine!"

"Oh yeah!" I remebered. "Tonight, at the opera?"

"I'll seal my fate tonight..." Erik nodded.

"But they had hardly any time to reherse!" I said.

"Chrisitne's very talented... she doesn't need much time," Erik said.

"What about Piangi and Carlotta and everyone else?"

"Who cares about them?"

"Right..." Suddenly, I remembered something."She's going to try to pull your mask off again!"

"Again...?" Erik said.

"Women's curiosity," I said, trying to sound positive.

"Stop the wise cracks, your full of them this morning," Erik snapped. "This is serious."

"Just talk to her," I said.

"What will talking do?" Erik asked.

"Believe me, Erik... Girls like it when you talk with them. Just ask her why she's so eager to see behind your mask."

"I-I can't!" Erik stammered.

"Why?"

"I-I'm... t-to shy..."

"Excuses, excuses," I mumbled. "Would you like me to talk to her?"

Erik looked at me. "You would do that?"

"Think of it as returning a favor."

"What do you need to return to me?"

"A favor... for saving me... from Raoul."

"Well, okay," Erik said. "Chrisitne's in her dressing room. Talk to her and come back here. Comprendez vous?"

"Oui, je comprend," I said, not knowing why we were speaking in French all of a sudden.

I ran off to Chrisitne's dressing room. I knocked on her door, quietly.

"Come in," she called.

I entered, timidly. She was sitting on her bed with a book opened o her lap.

"Oh, hello," she said.

"Hi..." I said. "um... Chrsitine... I need to talk to you about Erik."

"What about Erik?" she asked.

"Well... see..." I didn't how to start. "Um...Erik's got a suprise for you tonight and um... because of it... your going to try to take off his mask again. Please, Chrisitne, don't do it."

Christine sighed and put her book down. "Well... I can't reallly have a say on that because I don't know what I'll feel when that time comes," she said. "But why would I pull off his mask?"

"Because the suprise will make you," I repeated.

"Whats exactly is the suprise?" she asked.

"It's a... pair of diamond earing," I lied.

"Oh wow!" Christine smiled.

"But don't tell him I told you." I said.

"But why would diamond earings make me want to take off his mask?" Christine asked me.

"Well," I said, thinking quickly. "Those earings are really expensive, and Erik got them for you out of pure love. You'd be confused that he loves you so much, but he hasn't even shown you his full face yet, and you'll take off his mask."

"Well, if he loves me that much then why not show me his face without fear?"

"Because he loves you too much to do that," I said. "Look, Chrisitne, the reason why Erik doesn't want to face you unmasked is because he's deformed. He wants you to think of him as a handsome man so that you can love him."

"But I love him for his own sake... not because of what he looks like," Chrsitine said.

"I know," I said. "But Erik's past is full of pain and hatred. Don't you see? You're the only one whose ever cared about him. He doesn't want to loose you."

"He'll never loose me," Christine said. "My heart belongs to him forever."

"I know," I said, slightly impatient now. "But you haven't seen what's under the masked side of his face yet. Just give him some time, Christine. If you rush and unexpectedly pull off his mask... he'll still love you, but not in the same way."

Chrsitine sighed. "I suppose you're right," she said. "I musn't let my girlish curiosity get the better of me."

"Good for you," I said, getting up. "Don't worry Chrisitne, he'll open up fully to you sooner or later. Anyway, I better get going. Good bye."

"Good bye," Chrisitne said. "I'm glad we had that talk."

"Oh, and by the way," I said. "You can always to talk him yourself. There's no time like the present." With that, I left Chrsitine, and went back to the trap door. I slipped in and Erik was waiting for me.

"Well?" he said.

"All is well, she understands," I said.

"Good," Erik smiled. "Now, I have some spying to do, come with me if you'd like."

"Sure," I said.

Erik helpt me through the trap door, and we ran off.


	11. Don Juan Triumphant

It was later at night. I was getting ready for the opera while Erik sang to himself in his room. I smiled. "What a love sick puppy dog Erik's become," I said. 

"I'm such a love sick what?" Erik said, coming into the bedroom, with his black mask on and his half cape on.

"Nothing, nothing," I said.

I saw Erik go near the back of the room. He was all huddled over. It looked as if he was hiding something.

"What's that, Erik?" I asked.

"Wha-? Nothing," he said, putting something behind his back. I turned him around. In his hands I saw his Punjab Lasso.

"Oh no you don't," I said, wrenching it away from him. "No, no... you are NOT killing Ubaldo Piangi. Bouqet was bad enough, but honestly, Erik-"

"Are you forgetting how unhappy and dissaloute mt life is?" he asked me.

"Not any more!" I said. "Not since Christine came into your life!"

"Listen, you-"

"Erik," I sighed. "If your going to live with Chrisitne properly, you're going to have to stop living as 'The Phantom of the Opera' and just become Erik. No more kills, no more weird notes, no more-"

"I get it!" Erik snapped. He took the lasso from me, walked to the shore of the lake and threw it in.

"Good for you Erik!" I smiled.

"Now lets hurry," Erik said. "The opera will be starting in a few moments."

Erik and I got through the trap door, and ran silently behind the stage. It was hard avoiding people, but everytime I strayed from the shadows, Erik yanked me back into them.

We came to one paticular and abandonned part of the stage. A was a rope was dangling down from the rafters. Erik started to climb it.

"Erik! Wait!" I yelled. "I can't keep up with you! In gym class I'm bad at climbing ropes!"

Erik sighed. "This is the only way up to the balcony. You better get your arms working then."

I rolled my eyes and started to climb. Once I got to the top of the balcony, my arms felt like spagetti. "Oh yeah, that's gonna hurt after," I mumbled.

"Okay, you stay here," Erik said, once the play begins, I'll tie up Piangi once he's offstage. If anything happens. Not matter whta the time, you telll me. Got it?"

I nodded and we both feel silent as the curtain rose. I watched and listened as Carlotta and the chorus sing. After a while, Piangi, dressed as Don Juan came out and sang with Passarino.

As Chrisitine came out and sung. I heard Erik sigh with admiration. I sighed too. "You two are perfect for each other," I said, under my breath. But when I looked at where Erik was standing, he wasn't there. I looked ahead of me. On the stage, Erik was already singing to CHristine. She didn't have that 'Oh my God why can't he leave me alone?' look on her face like she did in the movie. But a 'Wow, you'd take the place of a leading tenor for me?' look.

As I saw the duet ascend the stairs, I saw another face that was unusally close to the front of the stage. It was Raoul de Changey's face. I called him all sorts of horrible names under my breath. I saw him shifting uneasily a bit in his seat.

Box five isn't close enough for you, eh Raouly? I thought, sarcastically. I had to warn Erik. But I couldn't just yell 'ERIK! RAOUL'S THERE!' while him and his wife-to-be were transfixed in a passionate song.

Suddenly, I heard a "Mmmmfff-mfph!" to my bottom right. There was Piangi tied up with a handkerichf tied around his mouth. He saw me and was yelling for help. I told him in sign langugue that I couldn't help him now. I turned back to watch Erik holding Christine in his arms, rathre close to me, but Raoul was staring straight at me and the couple with hatefull eyes. Suddenly I heard Erik whisper:

"Say you'll share with me one love, one life time.  
Lead me safely from my solitude.  
Say you'll want me with you here beside you..."

Oh my God! I thought. Here comes the so called 'diamond earings'!

But as I thought this I saw Raoul with even more hate in his eyes, but there was something else in there... tears?

I wanted to go down there and slap him and yell at him to be a man. But now wasn't the time. When I turned back to Erik and Chrisitne, they were even closer together. Erik had slipped the ring onto her finger, and she was looking at him with love in her eyes, and an acctual, real smile on her face. Her hand was no where near his mask. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"Christine, that's all I ask of-"

"STOOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!" A voice yelled out. Everyone turned to look at Raoul. He was standing up in his seat, tears streaming down his face. "You can't be with him, Chrisitne! I love you!" Raoul screamed in a high pitched voice.

Chrisitne, still in Erik's arms yelled out to him: "I have had enough of you! First you threaten to kill a child, then you want to kill my Erik, now you're telling me you love me! Forget it, Raoul! I'm excepting Erik's propsoal, and there is not a thing you can do to stop me!"

Erik and I gasped. She was excepting? For real!? I couldn't believe Erik's luck, but of course, Raoul had something up his clean and overly proper sleeve.

"Ah, but I can!" he said, coming up to the stage. "You see, I heard you and 'Madameoiselle Devoir', whose hiding up in the balcony now!-" Everyone turned and looked at me. Darn, I thought. "- You and her had a little conversation! I can easily walk up these stairs-" He jumped like an antelope up them. "And reveal this Phantom's true identity!"

Faster than a cheatah running after it's prey, Erik pulled Chrisitne closer, told her to hang on, and cut the rope that held a scenery, and they disapperaed through that fake fire thingy.

Without hesitation, I leaped from my hiding place, pushed Raoul backwards, making him fall over, and jumped in after Erik and Christine. As I fell I thought: This is gonna be rough!


	12. A Happy Ending

As I fell I wondered what would happen next. Would Raoul follow us? Would he alert the police? Would he bring the mob down? 

I landed on a huge cushion. I scrambled off of it. I saw a light in the distance. I ran towards it. It was Erik's house up ahead. I entered and found him and Christine there. She was already in her wedding dress.

"We can't stay here, though," Chrisitne said. "The police won't rest until they find us."

"I know," Erik answered. "But where to?"

I ran up to them. "I don't know where Raoul is, but I have a feeling he's coming."

"Why didn't you tell me you saw him?" Erik asked, accusingly.

"I didn't want to interupt you two!" I said.

"I know, but-"

"Erik," Christine, interupted . "Now that I'm your fiance, can you please show me your face?"

Erikm sighed. "But... I don't want to loose you."

"Erik," Christine said, sittng him down. "You'll never loose me. I will be your bride no matter what."

I could tell her words moved Erik because he hesitantly slipped his hand up to his face and gently took off his mask. His face, like the movie was_ very_ deformed. He had scars, gashes, bumps and stuff like that all over the side of his face he unmasked. He cringed, waiting for a scream, waiting for something to happen... And something did.

Christine turned his face to her's and whispered: "I don't see a monster here. I see my kind and loving husband."

Erik leaned in for a kiss, but there was soon the splashing of water and it interupted the moment. Raoul appeared near the gate to the house. Erik turned to see him, forgetting his face was unmasked. Raoul jumped back.

"URGH! You're going to marry that monster CHristine!?" he cried. Christine stood up. Her eyes burned with anger, which I had never seen before.

"Go away, Raoul!" She shouted. "I don't love you! I love Erik... not matter what he looks like!" Raoul shook the bars of the gate.

"LET ME IIIIIIIIIIIIIINNN!" He hollered.

"NO!" I yelled. I looked at Erik. "Got a bible anywhere?" I asked.

"Under the short legd of my organ," Erik said, gesturing to it. I ran, got the book, and came back to the couple.

"I may not be a preist," I said. "But I want world peace, and the law says any person of peace can marry people. So, Let's get started. Do you, Erik, take Christine Daae as your wife?"

"Yes, I do," Erik smiled.

"And you, Christine, take Erik as your husband?"

"I do."

"Great. You may kiss the bride-"

Suddenly, there was a bubbling sound from below the water. Raoul rose to the surface. "DON'T KISS HIM!" Raoul yelled, running up to them. Erik pushed Christine back.

"Who are you to tell me what to do with her? It's not like I'm renting her from you! She's not your possession, just leave us alone!"

"But I love her!" Raoul whined. "Show some compassion!"

"I can't believe you, Raoul!" Christine said. "You are the Victome de Changey! You can get any girl you want! But not this one! This one loves The Phantom of the Opera, a man with a very hurt past so don't you dare talk to him about compassion!"

Raoul's angry face turned deathly calm. "Give me back Chrisitne," he said to Erik/

"No," Erik answered, tring to be equally as calm as Raoul.

"Fine then," Raoul said, pulling out his sword. "Look's like we'll have to fight for her, eh?"

Erik pulled out his sword too. He didn't have his precious Punjab lasso with him, but he could easily hurt Raoul with this sword too.

I ran beside Chrisitne as I watched Erik and Raoul circle in the water.

Raoul was the first to make an attack move. Erik swiftly got out of harm's way, but only by a little bit. He tried to pull an attck move on Raoul but Raoul pushed him back. He was about to lunge for Erik with his sword, but Erik made a defensive move and blocked the attack move from Raoul.

I was very concered. Erik seemed to be losing some energy. It had been a very tiring week, and Erik hadn't been resting well enough. I suddenly saw Raoul push him down. Chrisitne and I gasped. I had to act quickly. I noticed a brick on the floor. Why it was there, I didn't know, but it would be useful.

I picked it up and with all my might, I threw it at Raoul. It hit his head with a good _thwack_!

"What did you..." Raoul went crosseyed and fell into the water.

Erik got up. Christine and I ran to him and hugged him. "Thank God you're alive!" we cried.

Suddenly, more footsteps approached. The three of us ran and hid. We watched from our hiding places as the 'angry mob' came into the house.

"My God! He's dead!" Some yelled, inspecting the Viscount, floating in the water.

"No, no! Look, he's breathing!"

Suddenly, Raoul sat up. "If anybody asks we were discussing the politics, right fellas?" he said. I supressed a laugh. He had lost his memory!

"What are you talking about Monseuir de Changey!?" One man cried.

"Yeah, you can borrow it."

"Has the lad gone mentally ill?" Another man asked.

"I LOOKED THROUGH THE WINDOW! I'M SORRY!" Raoul cried.

"Okay, that's it, we've gotta get him out of here," Some men supported the vicomte on their shoulders and ran out of the house. Meg was trailing behind them.

"Meg, wait," Chrisitne said. As the others disappeared around the corner, Meg watched as Chrisitne, Erik and I emerged from our hiding places.

"Chrisitne! What-?"

"Look, Meg," CHrisitne said, standing infront of her friend. "I've met the man of my dreams, and I must live here from now on. You can tell your mother but nobody else."

"Will I ever see you again?" Meg asked.

"Of course you will," Chrisitne said.

"Well, then, good luck," Meg and Chrisitne hugged and she ran off. Chrisitne ran up too Erik.

"Thank you so much for helping us on this journey," Erik said to me, holding Christine in his arms.

"Without you I might have gone with Raoul!" Christine said with a shudder.

"No biggy," I shrugged. "Anyway, What're you waiting for Erik? I said you may kiss the birde!"

Without hesitation, Erik and Chrisitne were locked in a passionate kiss. But as I watched them, my head started to spin. They themselves started to spin. I kept twirling around, when suddenly, everything was black and I lost conciousness.


	13. Epilogue

I opened my eyes. I was back in my own room, in my own house, in my country. 

What the-? I thought getting out of bed. I ran into the living room and saw my mom folding laundry.

"There you are, Sleeping Beauty!" She said.

"Mom! Where's Erik?" I asked.

"Erik?"

"Erik? Christine? Raoul? You know, from the Phantom of the Opera?"

"Oh, you must have been dreaming!" Mom said. "What happened in _this _dream _this_ time?"

"I...I..." I didn't know what to say. Would my mother believe me if I had told her I met the Phantom of the Opera? Would she believe me if I told her I got him and Chrisitne together? Would be believe me if I told her I threw a brick at Raoul?

"Maybe it _was_ all a dream," I said, glumly. Suddenly. I felt something in my pocket, I took it out.

There was a mask, shaped for my face, in my hand.

"Where did you get that?" Mom asked.

"I'll explain later mom!" I cried, rushing into the computer room.

"Oh, that was no dream," I smiled. I opened my Word Document and started to type: 'Time for bed!' My mom called.'...

XxXxXxXxX-------

THE END

I hoped you like my story, ppl. PLEASE REVIEW!!!


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